Yakima Police Warn Of New Phone Scam
I have a question for you. What would you do if someone called you up and said they were with the Police Department and that they had a warrant for your arrest? And what if they said that if you didn't pay a fine right then -- over the phone with a credit card -- they would come and arrest you? This is exactly what is happening in the Yakima Valley. And people are actually paying the fine over the phone, reports say.I cannot believe this is real. If someone had an arrest warrant, our police department would not call and warn them. They would simply show up and arrest them. They have plenty of opportunity to pay it, so calling on the phone would never be an option.
Have you ever received this phone call?
Here's the full news release from the YPD:
The Yakima Police Department (YPD) is warning local residents to watch out for a scam in which the scammer claims to be a member of the Yakima Police Department. The scammer makes contact with the intended victim by phone and uses several tactics to get the person to turn over personal bank information. YPD has received several calls this week from people that have received a phone call from someone claiming to be YPD Detective Michael Durbin. The scammers inform the phone call recipient that they face arrest if they don’t pay a fine immediately. The scammers tell the person that they have a warrant out for them, or they failed to show up for federal jury duty. The scammer then directs the person to pay the fine or face arrest. No member of the Yakima Police Department ever conducts business this way. YPD officers and detectives never collect money for fines directly because money for fines always goes through the courts. If you receive this type of phone call, please hang up and contact the Yakima Police Department at 575-6200.